The future

perfect and
the future
continuous
GRAMMAR

LEVEL NUMBER LANGUAGE

Intermediate B2_1035G_EN English
Goals

■ Learn the future perfect

simple
■ Learn the future
continuous
■ Practise comparing the
future perfect simple with
the future continuous

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Talking about the future won‘t always
be simple.

In this lesson we‘re going to learn some

new ways to express future forms.

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Preview and warm-up

■ In this lesson you are going to learn how to use the future perfect and the
future continuous.

By the end of this lesson, I will have learnt to use more

future tenses.

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The future continuous

■ The first way we use the future continuous is to talk about an action which will
be in progress at a certain time in the future.
■ The structure of the future continuous is will be + -ing.

This time tomorrow I will be exercising.

In 20 years’ time, we will probably be

working until we are 80.
At 4 p.m. this afternoon, I’ll be sitting in a
meeting.
What will you be doing at 10 a.m.
tomorrow?

I won’t be working at this time on Sunday.

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The future continuous

■ We also use the future continuous to talk about things which will happen in the
normal course of events.

■ I‘ll be seeing John at dinner so I‘ll

give him your message.

■ Sue will be passing the office after

work so she can pick you up.

■ They‘ll be seeing the Head of HR

on Friday so they can talk to her
about your problem then.

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The future continuous

■ We also use the future continuous to ask politely or tentatively about the
future.

Will your boss be having a meeting with Gordon in London?

Will they be using the meeting room this afternoon?

Will you be seeing James later?

Will you be using the computer this afternoon?

Will she be coming to dinner with you?

Will you be needing anything else?

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The future continuous

■ We can also use the future continuous to talk about an action which we
assume is in progress in the present.

Don’t play loud music outside that room. Your colleague will
probably still be working in there.

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Fill in the gaps

These predictions refer to the year 2050.

Fill in the gaps with the correct verb in the future continuous.

work live retire do

1. Three quarters of the population of the world

_______________ in large cities.
2. Robots _______________ lots of our jobs, including
healthcare and customer service work.
3. 50% of people _______________ from home rather
than going to the office every day.
4. People _______________ later because our life
expectancy will be longer.

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Speaking

Now talk to your teacher about the predictions on the previous page.
Which ones do you think will come true?

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 Fill in the gaps with the verb in the future continuous

1. _______________ you _______________ No I _______________ [work] on my

[watch] TV this evening? presentation all evening.

2. Can I phone the client now or do She _______________ probably

you think she _______________ _______________ [work]. She normally
[eat]? takes her lunch break quite late.

3 a.m. _______________ you

3. What time does your plane land? _______________ [pick] me up from
the airport?

4. _______________ you _______________

[use] your computer in the next No, you can use it.
few minutes?

It’s Sarah’s birthday so she

5. Why are you buying all those
_______________ [expect] some sort
cakes?
of gift.

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Career goals

Think about your career. Do you have any career goals that you want to
achieve by the time you are a certain age? Write them down.

When I am 35, I will be working in my

dream job.

When I am 30, I will be running my own

business.

When I am 60, I will be enjoying my

retirement.

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Speaking

Use the prompts below to make sentences in the future continuous

about what you will be doing in the near future.

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The future perfect

■ We use the future perfect to talk about an action which will be finished before
a certain time in the future.
■ The structure of the future perfect is: will have + past participle.

positive negative question

I will have finished my
tasks by 4 p.m.
They will have visited
many cities by the time
their business trip ends.
My salary will have gone
up by the end of this year.
I won’t have finished my
tasks before 4 p.m.
They won’t have visited
many cities by the time
their business trip ends.
My salary won’t have gone
up by much by the end of
this year.
Will you have finished
your tasks by 4 p.m.?
How many cities will they
have visited by the time
their business trip ends?
Will my salary have gone
up much by the end of this
year?

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The future perfect

■ The future perfect is often used with the words by and in.
■ Look at the examples below.

by in

He will have finished by tomorrow. I will have retired in 20 years’ time.

By this time next week, all of the papers In two weeks’ time, we will have completed
will have been delivered. the project.
By 2050, the retirement age will have In a week, I will have interviewed all of the
been raised. candidates.

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The future perfect

■ Here are some more phrases we often use with by in the future perfect.

by by the time by this time by the end of

by this time next by the end of the

by Monday by the time I’m 40
month year

by this time next by the end of the

by 1 p.m. by the time I retire
week decade

by the time we go to by this time next by the end of the

by dinnertime
bed year century

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Writing

Write some sentences about things you hope will have happened in
your life by certain points in the future (see the prompts below).
Use the future perfect for your answers.

by the time I by this time

retire next week

in 20 years’
in a month
time

by the end of
by dinnertime
the year

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By the year 2050…

Comment on the sentences below.

Do you think they are true? Justify your answer.

“By 2050, over 80% of the population will

have studied at university because more
and more employers want employees “
that have a degree.

“ By 2050, the majority of low-skilled jobs

will have disappeared and much of the
previously lower-skilled workforce will “
have been retrained.

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Schedule

Read through Alan’s schedule below.

8 a.m. flight departs

9.30 a.m. land in London

10.30 a.m. check into hotel

11.00 a.m. meeting with Don

1 p.m. break for lunch

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Fill in the gaps

Now use Alan’s schedule to fill in the gaps below with the
future perfect or future continuous.

1. At 8 a.m., Alan’s flight _______________

[depart].
2. At 9 a.m., Alan _______________ [fly].
3. By 10 a.m., Alan _______________ [land] in
London.
4. At 10.30 a.m., he ________________ [check in]
to his hotel.
5. By 11.15 a.m., he _______________ [start] his
meeting with Don.
6. At 1.10 p.m., he _______________ [have]
lunch.

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Fill in the gaps

Fill in the gaps with either the future perfect or the future continuous.

1. Sorry but I definitely _______________

[not/finish] the report by 7 p.m.
2. _________________ [he/eat] dinner with us
tomorrow?
3. Matt _______________ [sleep] by now. He goes
to bed at 9 p.m. every day.
4. _______________ [they/had] lunch before they
come or should I prepare something?
5. Anna _______________ [not/work] next week
because she is going on holiday.

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Speaking

Which of these things do you hope you will have done by the time you
retire? Which do you hope you will be doing when you retire?

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Reflect on the goals

Go back to the second slide of the lesson and check

if you have achieved all the goals of the lesson.

yes no

_______________________________ _______________________________
_______________________________ _______________________________

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Reflect on this lesson

Think about everything you have seen in this lesson.

What were the most difficult activities or words? The easiest?

+ _______________________________
_______________________________

+ _______________________________
_______________________________

– _______________________________
_______________________________

– _______________________________
_______________________________
If you have time, go over
the most difficult slides again

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25 www.lingoda.com
Exercise p. 9 Exercise p. 21
1. will be living, 2. will be doing, 3. will 1. won’t have finished
be working, 4. will be retiring 2. will he be eating
3. will be sleeping
Exercise p. 11 4. will they have had
5. won’t be working
1. will (you) be watching, will be working
2. will be eating, will (probably) be
working
3. will (you) be picking
4. will you be using
5. will be expecting
Exercise p. 20
1. will be departing
2. will be flying
3. will have landed
4. will be checking in
5. will have started
6. will be having
Answer key
Homework

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Jane’s career path

Fill in the gaps with the verbs in the future perfect or continuous.

1. By the time Jane is 18, she _______________ [get] her first part-time job.

2. When Jane is 21, she _______________ [study] at university.

3. By the time she is 23, Jane _______________ [start] her first full-time job.

4. When Jane is 24, she _______________ [apply] for new jobs.

5. By her 30th birthday, Jane _______________ [start] to work in a

management position.

6. When she is 45, Jane _______________ [sit] on the board of directors.

7. By the time Jane is 70, she _______________ [retire].

Now use this as a model for your sentences on the next page.

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Your career path

Write sentences about either your real or dream career path.

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29 www.lingoda.com
Exercise p. 27
1. will have got
2. will be studying
3. will have started
4. will be applying
5. will have started
6. will be sitting
7. will have retired
Homework answer key
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